Golf practicing device



July 24, 1934. T. J. MERRITT GOLF PRACTIGING DEVICE Filedsept. 22, 1955 2 sheets-sheet 1 July 24, 1934. T. J. MERRITT GOLF PRACTICING DEVICE Filed Sept. 22, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 24, 1934 UNITED STATES 4 Claims.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in golf practicing devices of the general type as that constituting the subject inatter of co-pending application Serial No. 621,464 yiiled July 8, 1932.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a golf practicing device of the type including means for indicating the force with which a ball is struck, together with novel means for actuating the indicator.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a golf practicing device of the aforementioned character comprising a novel construction of supporting stand for the mechanism.

A further important object of the invention is to provide a golf practicing device which includes a rotatable vertical shaft having slidably mounted thereon a horizontally extending ball retaining or supporting arm, together with resilient means for absorbing the shock which would otherwise be transmitted to the apparatus when the ball is struck. Y

A still further important object of the invention is to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a golf practicing device comprising novel means for attaching the ball.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a golf practicing device which will be comparatively simple in construction, portable, strong, durable, reliable in use and which may be manufactured at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specication, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:-

Figure 1 is a view principally in front elevation of a golf practicing device constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view in vertical section, taken substantially on the line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail view in vertical longitudinal section, showing the means for securing the ball retaining cable to the slidable arm or rod.

Figure 4 is a view in vertical transverse section, taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a detail view in section, showing the means for attaching the ball to the cable.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the embodiment of the present invention which has been illustrated comprises a supporting stand in the form of a tripod which in Figure 1 of the drawings, the legs 3 are inclined and terminate in vertical upper end portions engaged with the body 2. The side flanges of the upper portions of the legs embracing the sides of said body 2. At their lower ends, the legs 3 terminate in out-turned feet 5 which may be attached to a suitable base.

The body 2 has formed therein a vertical bore 6 in which the reduced circular portion 7 of a vertical shaft 8 is journaled. Anti-friction bearings 9 are provided in the upper and lower portions of the body 2 for the shaft 8.

Mounted horizontally in the upper end portion of the shaft 8 and projecting from one side thereof is a sleeve 10 in which an arm 11 is slidably mounted. Fixed on the inner end of the arm 11 in spaced relation to the vertical shaft 8 is a counterweight 12. A compression spring 13 is mounted on the arm l1 between the sleeve 10 and the counterweight 12 for yieldingly resisting movement `of said arm in one direction, as will be apparent. A stop collar 14 is xed on the arm 11 and engageable with the outer end of the sleeve 10 for limiting movement of said arm 11 in the opposite direction under impulsion by the spring 13.

The reference numeral 15 designates a ball retaining cable which is detachably secured to the outer end of the arm 1l through the medium of a coupling which is designated generally by the reference numeral 16. As best seen in Figure t 3 of the drawings, the outer end of the arm 11 has formed therein a longitudinal socket 17 for the reception of one end portion of the cable 15. The outer end portion of the socket 17 is tapered, as at 18. The coupling 16 includes a pair of internally toothed complemental segments 19 which are adapted to grip the cable 15 therebetween. Toward this end, the segments 19 are formed with tapered end portions 20 for engagement with the tapered portion 18 of the socket 17 and the tapered portion 21 of a clamping nut 22 which is threaded on the arm 11. 1t will thus be seen that the construction and arrangement are such that when the nut 22 is threaded on the arm 11 the segments 19 will be clamped tightly about the cable 15, the teeth in said segments being caused to bite into said cable. The outer end portion of the arm 11 is, of course, threaded to receive the nut 22.

Mounted on the free end of the cable 15 is a ball 23i The cable 15 extends substantially through the ball 23, as illustrated to advantage in Figure of the drawings, and is anchored therein through the medium of a split, internally toothed sleeve- 24 which is clamped on the cable by a tapered ring 25. The anchoring sleeve 24 and the clamping ring 25 are embedded in the ball 23.

Extending between a pair of the legs 3 is an inclined plate 26 in which a bearing 27 is mounted. Fixed on the outer end of the bearing 27 is a dial 28. J ournaled in the bearing 27 is a shaft 29 upon the outer end portion of which a pointer 3) isxed for travel adjacent the dial 28. The pointer is provided with a resetting iinger'BO adjacent its free end. It will thus be seen that the dial 28 and the pointer 30 are set at an inclination to facilitate observing the same from a standing position.

At its lower end the vertical shaft 8 terminates in a pinion gear 31. A retaining nut 32 for the lower bearing 9 is threaded on theshaft 8 adjacent the pinion gear 3l. Fixed on the inner end` portion of the shaft 29 is a crown gear 33 which. is meshed with the pinion gear 31. It will thus be seen that the pointer 30 is substantially directly connectedl'with the shaft 8 for actuation thereby.

In operation, when the ball 23 is struckf With a golf club, saidball is caused to travel in a circular path thereby rotating the vertical shaft 8. As hereinbefore stated, thespring 13 absorbs the shock, which occurs when the ball is struck.

Rotation of the shaft 8, of course, actuates the 'shaft 29 through the medium of the pinion gear 31 and the comparatively large crown gear 33 thus moving the pointer 30 around the indicating dial 28. In this manner the force with which the ball has been struck, and consequently the dis- `l tance that it would ordinarily travel if not held captive, may be conveniently observed. The con-V struction of the stand cr tripod l is such-that av very rigid support for the mechanism is provided.

It; will further be seen that the cable 15 may be conveniently detached- :from the arm 11 and replaced when necessary. Further, a new ball may be expeditiously attached tothecablel 15- when desired. v

It isbelieved that the many-advantagesof a vgolf practicing device constructed in accordance with the presentinventio-n will be readily understood, and although the preferred embodiment of the invention is as illustrated and described,

it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:-

l. A golf practicing device comprising a supporting stand, a vertical shaft rotatably mounted on the supporting stand, a horizontal arm slidably mounted on the shaft, a ball connected to one end of the arm, a counterweight on the other end ofthe arm, and a compression spring o-n the arm between the counterweight and the shaft.

2'. A golf practicing device comprising a sup- 90 portingrstand, a vertical shaft rotatably mounted on the supporting stand, a sleeve mounted horizontally on the shaft, an arm slidably mounted in the sleeve, a cable connected to one end of the arm, a ball connected to the cable, a counterweight on theother end'V of the arm,a compression springxon the arm betweenthe counterweight and thel shaft for yieldingly resisting movement of the arm in one directionVanda-stop on the arm engageable with the sleeve for limitingY the movement of the arm inthe other direction.

3. A golfv practicingV device comprising a sup'- portingstanda shaft rotatably Inounted'onthew supporting stand, an arm`moun'ted on the shaft, said arm having a longitudinal` socket in` one end: portion, said socket having a .taperedl outer end portion, a ilexible cable having one end portion engaged in the socket,` internally toothed; ccm-v plemental segments engaged with! the cable;` said 7 segments comprising tapered.. endl` portions, one of said tapered end portions being engageable with the tapered portionof the socket, a nut-threaded on thearm: and` engageable with: the Vseglnentsaor clamping said segmentsV on the. cable, saidV nut Y including a tapered portion engageable withA the 1 115" other Vend portions of Vthe segments, andaball! on the free end of the cable. l

4. A- golf practicing devicecomprisinglafrotatably mounted arm,-a cable connectedtofy the". n. arm, anda-ball mountedonithe cable;-saidz'cable'd2- extending substantially throughthe ballga split internally toothed taperedV sleeve-mounted onthe cable and embedded in the-ball, .andatapered clamping ring mounted onthesleeveffori con` tractingsaidsleeve on'the cable;V` 125" 

